Croatina

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Croatina is a red wine grape that is grown in Northern Italy, primarily in the Oltrepò Pavese region of (Lombardy) and in the Province of Piacenza within (Emilia Romagna), but also in parts of Piedmont and the Veneto.

In the Oltrepò Pavese, in the hills of Piacenza, in Cisterna d’Asti and San Damiano (Province of Asti), and in Roero this variety is called ‘Bonarda’. It should not, however be confused with the Bonarda piemontese, which is an unrelated vine.^[1][2] (We might add that the Argentinian Bonarda is thought to be the Californian Charbono, rather than either Bonarda piemontese or Croatina.)

[edit] Wines

Croatina has characteristics similar to the Dolcetto grape in that it tends to produce fruity, deeply colored wines that are mildly tannic and can benefit from bottle ageing.^[2] Such is the case with the wine Oltrepò Pavese Bonarda DOC which contains from 85% to 100% Croatina (under its local name of ‘Bonarda’). However Croatina is often blended with Barbera, as in Gutturnio, a wine from Emilia-Romagna containing 30.0% – 45.0% Croatino. It may also be employed as a very minor part of a blend, as is the case with some examples of Amarone.

The DOCs which allow the use of the Croatina grape are:

Emilia Romagna

Colli di Parma 25% – 40%

Colli di Scandiano e di Canossa 0% – 15%

Colli Piacentini (Gutturnio) 30% – 45%

Lombardy

Oltrepò Pavese 25% – 65%

Oltrepò Pavese Bonarda 85% – 100%

San Colombano al Lambro 30% – 45%

Piedmont

Bramaterra 20% – 30%

Cisterna d’Asti 80% – 100%

Colline Novaresi 0% – 30%

Colline Novaresi Croatina 85% – 100%

Coste della Sesia rosso at least 50% of one of the following: Nebbiolo, Bonarda piemontese, Vespolina, Croatina or Barbera

Coste della Sesia Croatina 85% – 100%

Veneto

Amarone 0% – 5% ^[3]

[edit] References